Golf swing training device

ABSTRACT

A golf swing training device and practice tee for aiding a golfer in developing the habit of keeping his head down while swinging a golf club. The training device includes a pivotally mounted horizontal attachment bar which selectively pivots in a horizontal plane, a golf ball suspended by a tether from the attachment bar, and an adjustable sighting guide member located between the golfer&#39;&#39;s head and the tethered golf ball. The golfer using the device may hit the tethered golf ball or alternatively, may pivot the tethered golf ball out of the way and substitute an untethered golf ball therefor.

United States Patent [191 Schafer [111 3,827,696 1 1 Aug. 6, 1974 GOLF SWING TRAINING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Richard A. Schafer, 38141 Donald,

Livonia, Mich. 48154 [22] Filed: Nov. 21, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 417,749

Primary Examiner-George J. Marlo Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hauke, Gifford, Patalidis & Dumont [5 7] ABSTRACT A golf swing training device and practice tee for aiding a golfer in developing the habit of keeping his head down while swinging a golf club. The training device includes a pivotally mounted horizontal attachment bar which selectively pivots in a horizontal plane, a golf ball suspended by a tether from the attachment bar, and an adjustable sighting guide member located between the golfers head and the tethered golf ball. The golfer using the device may hit the tethered golf ball or alternatively, may pivot the tethered golf ball out of the way and substitute an untethered golf ball therefor.

10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMJB 61914 3.827.696

VFIGI I GOLF SWING TRAINING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The pesent invention relates to apparatus by which contests of skill may be practiced. In particular, the invention pertains to a novel golf swing training device which has a golf ball connected to a post by a flexible member, which golf ball is to be struck by a golf club, 1

to the user. The various embodiments of this type of device includes one version in which the indicating apparatus engages the head of the user to physicallyrestrain it from movement. Another version has the indicating apparatus abutting the forehead of the user such that if the users head moves, the apparatus will either slide out of contact with, or will be forced against the users head, depending upon the direction of movement of the users head, thus, indicating head movement. Yet in another version, the apparatus surrounds at least a portion of the users head such that if his head moves it will come in contact with the apparatus, thus, indicating head movement.

The above-mentioned devices have a number of drawbacks. All of them physically interfere with the user. The user is constantly aware of the presence of the device in the area of his head, and, therefore, may have some apprehension in making a complete swing of a golf club. Furthermore, these devices distract the user from the degree of concentration required to make a correct golf swing.

Another type of previously known golf training device includes merely a golf ball suspended from an arm which is in turn mounted to a base. This type of device does not include any means to aid or indicate to the user if his form is correct or if it is not, how to correct it. A disadvantage of this kind of device is that the user could perpetuate a fault in his form by, in ignorance, continuing to practice the fault.

Yet a further type of previously known golf form training device includes a restrained golf ball and a relatively complicated mechanical or electrical means to indicate the imaginary flight of the golf ball when hit by the user. Such devices are expensive, and further, while indicating a fault in form exists and showing the product of the fault, such a device has no means to indicate to the user what constitutes a proper golf swing.

Two of the more serious flaws in a golf swing are the tendency, especially by beginners, to lift the head as the ball is hit to view the flight of the ball, and to sway from side to side while hitting the ball. I

The present invention obviates the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art while providing a simple, inexpensive golf swing training device which aids the user in developing a golf form or swing characterized by a head-down attitude while hitting the golf ball and maintenance of a relatively stable position throughout the golf swing, i.e., a position with a minimum of lateral body movement or side to side sway.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides a golf swing training device having a base adapted to rest upon a generally flat surface, such as the ground, a mounting tube affixed to and extending upwardly from the base, an attachment bar pivotally connected to the mounting tube for selective movement in a horizontal plane about the mounting tube, a golf ball connected to the attachment 0 bar by a tether, and an articulated adjustable sighting means connected to the mounting tube and extending upwardly therefrom to a position generally over the tethered golf ball.

The user of the device sights or aligns the sighting means with a predetermined point. This point may be the golf ball to be hit or a point on the ground adjacent the golf ball. While swinging a golf club to hit the tethered golf ball, the user of the device continues to keep his eyes on the sighting means. In order to keep the sighting means aligned with the predetermined point on the ground throughout his golf swing, the user must necessarily maintain a relatively stable stance with a minimum of side to side body sway and must also keep his head down.

Description of the Drawings A betterv understanding of the present invention will be achieved with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention, partially showning in broken lines a user of the device and a golf club; and

FIG. 2 is a top view of the device of FIG. 1.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to FIG. I, a golf swing training device and practice tee, generally denoted as 10, is illustrated as including a base 12 having spike members 14 depending therefrom, the spikes being inserted into the ground 15 to support the device 10.

A mounting means, such as a tubular member 18, is connected at one of its ends 20, as by welding, to the base 12 such as to extend generally vertically upwardly therefrom.

A pivot mounting bracket 22, generally in the shape of a collar, is concentrically located over the tubular member 18 for selective pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis of the tubular member 18. A set screw 24 is threadably received through a hole in the bracket 22 such that it can be screwed into foreeable abutment with the tubular member 18, thus, locking the bracket 22 in a preselected position.

An attachment means, such as a rod 26, is connected at one of its ends 28 to the bracket 22 such as to extend generally horizontally therefrom. The rod 26 may be connected to the bracket 22 by any convenient means, such as by welding.

A golf ball 30 is suspended from the other end 32 of the rod 26 by a tether 34. The length of the tether may be adjusted to locate the golf ball 30 at a predetermined distance above the ground 15.

An articulated sighting means, generally denoted as 36, is comprised of a generally arcuately shaped first elongated element 38 and a generally straight second element 40. The first elongated element 38 is connected at one of its ends 42 to the other end 21 of the tubular member 18. Preferably, this connection is made by slidably, axially inserting the end 42 into the end 21, and securing it in place therein by a set screw 43, such that the sighting means 36 can be pivoted in the tubular member 18 about the vertical longitudinal axis of the tubular member 18. The other end 44 of the first elongated element 38 is pivotally connected to the end 46 of the second elongated element 40 so that the second elongated element 40 is selectively movable in a generally vertical plane about the pivotal connection of the ends 44 and 46. This pivotal connection may be a clevis joint, the U-shaped clevis portion being formed at the end 44 of the first elongated member 38 and the tongue portion which fits into the U-shaped clevis being formed in the end 46 of the second elongated member 40. Further, a guide ball 50 is affixed to the other end 48 of the second elongated element 40. The first and second elongated members 38 and 40, thus, extend generally upwardly from the tubular member 18 so that the guide ball 50 is located generally over the golf ball 30. The pivotal connection of the first elongated element 38 to the second elongated element 40 allows a user of the device to adjust the position of the guide ball 50, and the slidable, axial connection of the end 42 of the first elongated element 38 into the end 21 of the tubular member 18 allows the user of the device 10 to swing the sighting means 36 out of the way when he elects to hit the golf ball 30 unaided by the guide ball 50.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the base 12 is preferably formed of two legs 52, S4, angularly displaced from one another in the horizontal plane. Each of the legs 52, 54 has a different spike member 14. This particular configuration presents a stable anchor for the device 10.

Turning back to FIG. 1, there is shown a user 56 of the training device 10, and a golf club 58 is shown in broken lines. It is to be understood that the user 56 is holding the club 58 in his hands in preparation for hitting the golf ball 30. The guide ball 50 is adjusted to be disposed between the head of the user 56 and a predetermined point 17 on the ground 16 adjacent the golf ball 30. The line of sight of the user 56 is indicated as a dashed line. While keeping his eye on the guide ball 50 and keeping the guide ball aligned with the predetermined point 17 on the ground, the user 56 hits the ball 30 with the golf club 58 and continues to keep the guide ball 50 aligned therewith throughout his golf swing. This necessarily results in a head-down swing with a minimum amount of side to side body sway.

In addition, when the user 56 desires to hit a real or untethered golf ball instead of the tethered golf ball 30, he may pivot the tethered golf ball 30 out of the way by loosening the set screw 24 through the pivot mounting bracket 22 and rotate the rod 26 around the tubular member 18 to a position shown in dash lines in FIG. 1. I

Further, the golf swing training device 10 can be used to practice with any golf club, whether it be a wood or an iron. This is possible because of the adjustable articulated sighting means 36. FIG. 1 illustrates how this is accomplished. The guide ball 50 of the articulated sighting means 36 is movable in a generally vertical plane over the golf ball 30. It is movable in both an upball 50 by moving it upward in the direction of arrow A or downward in the direction of arrow B" depends somewhat upon the height of the user.

The articulated sighting means 36 can also be moved out of the way if it is desired to hit the tethered golf ball 30 without the aid of the guide ball 50 by loosening the set screw 43 and rotating the first elongated element 38 in the tubular member 18.

The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clarity of understanding and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, for modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure and may be made without dcparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A golf swing training device and practice tee to aid the user thereof in the development of a proper golf swing, which comprises:

a base;

mounting means connected to said base;

a selectively movable pivot mounting bracket connected to said mounting means;

attachment means connected to said pivot mounting bracket, said pivot mounting bracket allowing said attachment means to pivot around said mounting means in a generally horizontal plane;

a golf ball to be hit by the user of the training device;

a tether interconnecting said golf ball and said attachment means to restrain the flight of said golf ball when hit by the user of the training device; and

articulated sighting means mounted to said mounting means and extending generally upward therefrom to a location generally over said golf ball to aid the user of the training device to develop the discipline of keeping his head down in a relatively fixed position while hitting the golf ball.

2. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 1,

wherein said articulated sighting means comprises:

a first elongated element attached at one end to said mounting means;

a pivot joint connected at the other end of said first elongated element;

a second elongated element connected at one end to said pivot joint so as to be selectively pivotal in a generally vertical plane about said pivot joint; and

a guide member connected to the other end of said second elongated element to be visually lined-up with a predetermined point on the ground by the user of the training device when preparing to hit said golf ball, and said pivot joint allowing the user of the training device to adjust the position of said guide member.

3. A golf swing device as defined in claim 2, wherein:

said first elongated element is generally arcuately shaped; and said second elongated element is generally straight.

4. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said articulated sighting means is mounted to said mounting means for rotational movement about a generally vertical axis.

5. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said attachment means is a generally horizontally disposed rod connected at one end to said pivot mounting bracket; and said tether is connected to the other end of said rod so that said golf ball is suspended therefrom. 6. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said mounting means is a tubular member connected at one of its ends to said base and extending generally vertically upward therefrom; and said articulated sighting means is mounted at the other end of said tubular member. 7. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 6, wherein:

said pivot mounting bracket is a collar which concentrically receives said tubular member therethrough, said collar being selectively pivotally movable about the longitudinal axis of said tubular member.

8. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 7,

6 further comprising:

means defining a threaded hole in said mounting bracket collar generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member; and a set screw threadably receivable in said' threaded hole, said set screw to be tightened against said tubular member after said collar has been selectively located thereon to restrain said collar in the selected location. 9. A golf swing training device as defined in claim I, wherein said base includes:

anchoring means to anchor the golf swing training device to the surface upon which it rests. 10. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 1, wherein said base comprises:

two legs angularly displaced relative to each other in the generally horizontal plane; and two spiked elements each depending from a different one of said legs, said spiked elements to be driven into the soil to anchor said training device to the ground. 

1. A golf swing training device and practice tee to aid the user thereof in the development of a proper golf swing, which comprises: a base; mounting means connected to said base; a selectively movable pivot mounting bracket connected to said mounting means; attachment means connected to said pivot mounting bracket, said pivot mounting bracket allowing said attachment means to pivot around said mounting means in a generally horizontal plane; a golf ball to be hit by the user of the training device; a tether interconnecting said golf ball and said attachment means to restrain the flight of said golf ball when hit by the user of the training device; and articulated sighting means mounted to said mounting means and extending generally upward therefrom to a location generally over said golf ball to aid the user of the training device to develop the discipline of keeping his head down in a relatively fixed position while hitting the golf ball.
 2. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 1, wherein said articulated sighting means comprises: a first elongated element attached at one end to said mounting means; a pivot joint connected at the other end of said first elongated element; a second elongated element connected at one end to said pivot joint so as to be selectively pivotal in a generally vertical plane about said pivot joint; and a guide member connected to the other end of said second elongated element to be visually lined-up with a predetermined point on the ground by the user of the training device when preparing to hit said golf ball, and said pivot joint allowing the user of the training device to adjust the position of said guide member.
 3. A golf swing device as defined in claim 2, wherein: said first elongated element is generally arcuately shaped; and said second elongated element is generally straight.
 4. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said articulated sighting means is mounted to said mounting means for rotational movement about a generally vertical axis.
 5. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said attachment means is a generally horizontally disposed rod connected at one end to said pivot mounting bracket; and said tether is connected to the other end of said rod so that said golf ball is suspended therefrom.
 6. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said mounting means is a tubular member connected at one of its ends to said base and extending generally vertically upward therefrom; and said articulated sighting means is mounted at the other end of said tubular member.
 7. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 6, wherein: said pivot mounting bracket is a collar which concentrically receives said tubular member therethrough, said collar being selectively pivotally movable about the longitudinal axis of said tubular member.
 8. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 7, further comprising: means defining a threaded hole in said mounting bracket collar generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member; and a set screw threadably receivable in said threaded hole, said set screw to be tightened against said tubular member after said collar has been selectively located thereon to restrain said collar in the selected location.
 9. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 1, wherein said base includes: anchoring means to anchor the golf swing training device to the surface upon which it rests.
 10. A golf swing training device as defined in claim 1, wherein said base comprises: two legs angularly displaced relative to each other in the generally horizontal plane; and two spiked elements each depending from a different one of said legs, said spiked elements to be driven into the soil to anchor said training device to the ground. 